Stress is bad. We all know that. Especially in this modern era, we need to avoid chronic stress at all costs!

Our bodies are built to withstand acute stress, but not chronic stress. And by chronic, I mean long-term, persistent, long-lasting, recurrent stress. So if you have an eight-hour, five days a week shift— you then have long-term, persistent, long-lasting, recurrent stress for 40 hours each week! Sucks, doesn’t it?

So without further adieu, here are 6 reasons why stress makes you fat.

1. Stress slows metabolism.

First off, when we’re under stress, our bodies release a hormone called cortisol. And cortisol slows your metabolism. So even if you maintain your normal diet, you will still gain weight.

2. Stress and Cravings

Studies show that chronic stress leads to cravings. And yes, cravings are usually fatty, salty and sweet foods that leads you to gain weight. And by weight, I mean not muscle.

4. Emotional Eating.

Chronic stress leads to depression, thus, leads to emotional eating. This is the time when you find yourself scouring the fridge, viciously devouring that junk food— yet you’re not really hungry, are you?

5. Quick Meals/Fast Foods

The number one reason for stress in our society today, is work. We get too busy that we can’t even properly prepare a healthy meal anymore. A quick drive-through on the way home is now considered an ordinary dinner. And yes, fast foods make you extremely large.

6. Less time for Exercise.

Your demanding boss devours all of your time. When you get home, you don’t even have time to properly prepare a healthy meal, or clean your house, or wash your dishes, or anything really.

Fact: Your eight hours a day, plus one hour lunch break, plus commuting time, is actually 11-12 hours! Really. How can you find time for exercise?

I was getting fat on my previous job as a receptionist. I barely ate, yet I still wasn’t losing weight. And it’s all because of my big, bad boss.

But now, as I am a full-time mommy/freelancer (working only 3 hours a day as a freelancer), I prepare healthy meals twice a day. Yep, I only eat twice (breakfast and dinner). Still, no matter how much I overeat, I don’t get fat.

And by the way, “no stress” means “no cravings.” Which is why I’m holding a yummy, ice-cold cookies n’ cream right now.

About andrea

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An anonymous being, a writer hidden in the shadows; I come with the darkest clouds and pen darker thoughts to paper. I am the fog, the shadow, the mist. Come see me and you can never go back.